This ’buy Nigeria scam’

It was George Orwell who once wrote “All animals are equal but some are more equal than others’. Any system which speaks with double tongues in its cheek and try to cover up will not gain much buy-in. The reason is obvious, the wind is constantly blowing and people keep seeing the back side of the hen. This is especially so in this age of absolute transparency and open access to information.

Nigeria government keeps demanding loyalty and total commitment from the governed, a good thing, but trust and loyalty are not always given but needed to be earned. There have been several campaigns in the past and even now which call on Nigerians to have a change of attitude and disposition to certain things. While these campaigns are excellently packaged and have truths in them, Nigerians had seen the campaigns are more of ‘do what I say and not what I do’.

This double standard proceeds from the Nigerian leaders but they always expect one hundred percent compliance from the led. Government and its spokesperson never waste any time in preaching ‘the goodwill and benefits’ Nigerians will gain if they heed the callings in the campaign slogans. One keeps wondering why government and its spokesperson try hard to preach to the people, belabouring the need for change of attitude if they want Nigerians of their dreams.

But while it is good to be patriotic, Nigerians keep seeing that those who preach such good message turn their eyes to the reality in the corridor of power and focused only on the wool in the eyes of the Nigerians while the heavy logs in the pay masters’ eyeballs are seen as normal.

Let us take two or three case studies. This has nothing to do with personal derision of any personality or office. Government spokespersons complain when Nigerians who have the means will rather run to overseas countries where they can find better health care than risk their lives in Nigeria.

One of the measures they take against the people is to tighten the forex market so much many could not get to buy foreign exchange currency to travel if they insist from the official window but to be forced to the exorbitant ‘Black market’. But when our President is sick of ear problem he travels out to London.

Someone needs to hear me, I am not saying this in its entirety is wrong because of the President’s advanced age but the fact is since he travelled on health ground last year, is there a rocket science in government that should not have budgeted for medical equipment for Aso Rock Clinic or National Hospital in Abuja to be properly equipped since then so his case is handled here if peradventure the situation re occurs. Even if it cost much, we can understand this is needful and besides the equipment will always be there for others to use. When late Nelson Mandela was sick, he stayed in South Africa for his treatment and was not rushed out for medical attention.

When President of America is sick or down with ailment we do not hear much about it as there is equipped hospital and qualified Doctors to take care of them in their Country instead of flying them out.

Take for instance during the last USA Presidential campaign heat which affected Hilary Clinton’s health to the extent that she was captured losing her steps and she developed pneumonia or whatever, nobody rushed her out of the USA. Compare that with when the same happened to late President Yar’ Adua, did he stay in Nigeria or flown out? Yet many of Nigerian Spokespersons hardly talk about this but focused on few Nigerians or whom though poor, some family members could still borrow money on their behalf so they can travel out. What a scam!

Ex- Governor Ibori could not be punished in Nigeria for his alleged misconduct but met his waterloo in London and was jailed for six years. When he returned home over the weekend, he was only invited for a chat by Director General of State Security Services meanwhile if he is an ordinary Nigerian he would be arrested and sentenced into jail or kept in prison pending whatever decision to be made. But Governor Ibori is a ‘special class of Nigerians’ who must be treated with respect. When we wake up tomorrow ‘Buy Nigeria Slogan campaign and Not in My country’ will air on many national airwaves. What a double standard?

With our schools and academic standards, many opted to send their wards abroad because things are no longer at ease and the centre cannot hold in our educational sector. Forex exchange issue is no longer helping matter and those who do not know their ways or do not belong to powerful cabal could not access official window to buy foreign currency to support their wards in overseas Country.

The President has also warned,’ if you do not have the means to source for Foreign Currency elsewhere, withdraw your wards and bring them back home’. But tell me how many top level government officials have their wards here? Yet the slogans continue ‘Buy Nigeria’. To be honest I have seen thorough professionals among my friends who had gone to do their Masters’ degrees in Nigeria and were filled with songs of pity, regrets afterwards as the degree did not add any value to them outside adding a new certificate especially in our Public Universities.

Meanwhile even when you borrow money to do your degrees abroad especially in UK, USA and Canada and you actually go in for the degree you wanted, you normally do not come out the same with the quality of knowledge and materials you will be exposed to.

So why wouldn’t people who have the means like our President, Top government officials as well as few privileged Nigerians not take the risks and turn their own eyes on ‘buy Nigeria’ and even ‘buy Ghana, Togo, South Africa and Liberia’ if that suits their purposes. So if we must buy Nigeria, let everyone does irrespective of class and position. Till then, let us stop this scam.